Clock with attachment



June 13, 1939. J. GORRIEN CLOCK WITH ATTACHMENT Filed F'eb. l2, 19157 2Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. r'omP/EN A TTORNEY J. GoRRll-:N 2,162,166

CLOCK WITH ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. l2. 19257 Fly@NVENTOR. JOHN Gone/EN Bxl/9.

ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a clock with attachment useful for a varietyof purposes, but as disclosed herein more especially adapted to thepurpose of notifying or reminding persons, such as hotel clerks, of thetime at which to perform some particular service, as, for example, tocall a patron of' a hotel at a previously stated time.

Hotel clerks have many diiferent duties among which are the noting ofinstructions each night from many hotel patrons that the patrons are tobe awakened next morning at stated times, some, say, at 7:00 a. m., someat 7:15, some at 8:00, etc. The clock with attachment herein presentedhas been especially designed to notify or remind hotel clerks at settimes when calls of patrons are to be made, although it is to beunderstood that the device of the invention can be employed for a numberof different purposes, as for instance, to notify or remind a person ata predetermined appointed time when any duty or act is to be performed.

An object of the invention is to provide a clock With attachment adaptedto the purpose of notifying or reminding persons of the time whenservices or acts are to be performed, and which clock with attachmentWill be of novel and improved construction.

A further object is to provide a device of the present character whereinwill be incorporated various improved features and characteristics ofconstruction novel both as individual entities of the device and incombination with each other.

A further object is to provide a clock with attachment of quite simpleconstruction which will by concurrent reference to both thc hour and theminute hands of a clock be adapted to notify or remind persons ataccurate, predetermined times when services or acts are to be performed.

And a further object is to provide a clock with attachment for notifyingor reminding persons of the time When services or acts are to beperformed which will include adjustable mechanism through theinstrumentality of which the exact time, or minute, at which the clockwith attachment is intended to give notification to or remind a personof the time When a service or act is to be accomplished can beaccurately controllably Varied.

With the above objects in View, as well as others which will appear asthe specification proceeds, the invention comprises the construction,arrangement and combination of parts as now to be fully described and ashereinafter to he specifically claimed, it being understood that thedisclosure herein is merely illustrative and intended in no Way in alimiting sense, changes in details of construction and arrangement ofparts being permissible so long as within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a device or clock with attachmentmade according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on line 2-2in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail View disclosing the manner in which the clock withattachment of Figs. l and 2 is by concurrent reference to both the hourand the minute hands of said clock adapted to notify or remind personsof the time when services or acts are to be performed;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially on line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View corresponding generally with the disclosure of Fig. 3,but including modified or adjustable mechanism for varying the times, orminutes, at which a clock with attachment made according to theinvention can be` made to notify or remind persons of the time whenservices or acts are to be done;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View, taken substantially on line 6 6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational View of the modified or adjustablemechanism of Figs. 5 and 6 as it would appear from the right hand sideof said Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevational View of one of duplicate jacks orplugs which the device employs;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the current conveying portion orelement and the spreader member of the jack or plug of Fig. 8 with theinsulating nger piece of said jack or plug removed therefrom;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of the spreader member of the jack orplug removed from the current conveying portion or element of Fig. 9;and

Fig. 1]. is an end elevational View of the jack or plug of Fig. 8 as itwould appear from the top side of the sheet.

The disclosure as made is of an electric clock l5, although it willbecome apparent hereinafter that the clock employed could bemechanically, or spring, driven. The clock frame is as illustrated ofinsulating material. A usual case i6 of the clock is secured upon theforward member Il 0f the frame as at I8, and said forward member Ilincludes a front surface l@ providing a dial or clock face. A hollowshaft 2i! driven by mechanism (not shown) within the case i5 nxedlysupports or carries a usual hour hand iii of clock, and a shaft 22within the hollow shaft 5 and driven` by mechanism within said iiXcdlysupports or carries a usual minute of the clock. The hour hand and theminute hand 23 bear customary relation to the dial or clock face E9. Asshown, said hour nd travels over said dial or clock face at locationbetween the minute hand and the dial or clock face. That is, said minutehand is at the outer side of hour hand. The arrangement is such that atthe locations of mounting the hour .and the minute hands upo-n theirrespective shafts said heur and minute hands are constantly in lightrubbing engagement with each other, as enoted t hour and minute handsare constructed of meta or of other material having capacity to conclueelectrical current. The shafts and may b of insulating material, orinsulatively supporte within the case l5.

An annular member 25 of insulating material is suitably supported, inany convenient manner, as by gluing, or otherwise, upon the frontsurface of the forward member El of the clock frame in surroundingrelation to the dial or clock face. The annular member 25 integrallycarries an annular flange 2S of reduced thickness which extends inwardlyof said annular member. The annular flange 25 is in the plane of theannular member 25 and is arranged adjacent the forward surface of saidannular member so that an annular pocket 2l, defined by the annularmember 25, the annular flange 25 and an annular portion of the frontsurfaceof the forward. member I1, is provided.

The inner marginal portion of the annular flange 26 integrally supportsan inwardly extending annular element 2B arranged in the plane of theannular member 25 and the annular flange 26 and situated adjacent theforward surface of said member 25 and its annular flange 25. The annularelement 28 is of considerably less thickness than the annular flange 25.A glass cover 29 for the dial or clock face and the clock hands 2l andis of circular conformation, and an annular marginal portion 55 of saidglass cover is seated against the inner surface of said annular element28 adjacent an annular transverse shoulder 3i of the annular flange 26.The marginal portion 30 is secured to the annular element 28 in anyconvenient manner, as by gluing, or otherwise. The body portion of theglass cover 29 as disclosed bulges outwardly, or forwardly, in directionaway from the dial or clock face and the hands 2l and 25. Said dial orclock face is marked in hours and minutes in a well known manner.

Lead wires 32 and 33 from a source (not shown) of electrical energy aresecured to the case ifi by means of binding posts 34 and 35. Electricalcurrent carried by said lead wires 32 and 33 is adapted to actuate clockmechanism within the case I5 in a manner which, as such, forms noexplicit part of the invention. Suffice it to Say that through theinstrumentality of electrical current carried by the lead wires 32 and33 the hour and minute hands 2i and are driven at intended and properrates of speed, said minute hand as illustrated being adapted to makeone complete revolution while said hour hand is traveling one-twelfth ofa revolution.

A transformer suitably and conveniently mounted within the frame of theclock I5 includes a primary 35 and a secondary 3l. A lead wire 38extends from the binding post 34 to one side of the primary 36 and alead wire 39 extends from the other side of said primary to the bindingpost 35.

The annular flange 26 upon the annular member 25 includes a series `ofequally spaced apart openings 40 each with metallic eyelet 4l, or othertubular conducting element, arranged therein. The eyelets or tubularconducting elements 4I are disposed concentrically of the shafts 2i! and22'. Said eyelets or tubular conducting elements may be spaced apart anypreferred distances. As disclosed, there are forty-eight openings 4l]each with eyelet or tubular conducting element 4l. The outer end of eacheyelet or tubular conducting element is enlarged, as at 42, and engagesthe front surface of the annular member 25 and the annular iiange 26.The inner end portion of each eyelet or tubular conducting element liesin the annular pocket 2l', and the inner ends of the eyelets or tubularconducting elements terminate in spaced relation to the inner surface ofthe annular member 25 and the front surface of the forward member l1 ofthe frame of the clock. See Figs. 2 and 4.

An annular member or plate 43 of metal, or of other conducting material,is suitably secured to the inner surface of the annular member 25, as bygluing, or otherwise, and includes an inner, annular marginal portion 44lying in the annular pocket 2l. As disclosed, the annular member orplate 53 and its inner, annular marginal portion 44 are in contiguousrelation to the front surface of the forward member l1 of the frame ofthe clock and in spaced relation to the eyelets or tubular conductingelements 4l. The inner, annular marginal portion 4 4 of the conductingmember or plate 43 includes openings 45 in substantial alinement withthe openings through the eyelets or tubular conducting elements 4l,there being an opening 45 corresponding to each eyelet or tubularconducting element. The arrangement is such that the openings 45 are atriiie off-set with respect -to the openings or passageways through theeyelets or tubular conducting elements 4l. The front surface of theforward member il of the clock frame includes openings 4E in alinementwith the openings or passageways through the eyelets or tubularconducting elements and in alinement with the openings 45, there beingan opening 46 corresponding to each substantially alining set ofopenings 4l] and 45.

The annular member 25 includes an annular channel or concavity 4'5therein which suitably houses a lead wire 43. Said lead wire 48 spansthe complete circumference of the annular channel or concavity 41, or,stated differently, the lead wire 48 may be continuous.

Conducting strips 49 are disposed in spaced apart relation about theinner surface of the annular flange 25 and are supported upon saidannular fiange in `any suitable and convenient manner. as by gluing, orotherwise. By way of eX- ample, there may be four conducting strips 49spaced at equal distances apart, including a conducting strip adjacenteach of "3, "6, 9 and 12 on the dial or clock face. Each conductingstrip includes a body portion. extending alc the annular flange 25circumferentially th.,h eof and a tail or flange portion 5i) of theconducting strip situated in a passageway 5I of the annular member 25and conductively engaging the continuous or circular lead Wire 48. Eachpassageway extends from the annular pocket 25 to the annular channel orconcavity 41. As very clearly shown in the drawings, the conductingstrips 49 and their tails or flanges 50 are in spaced relation to theeyelets or tubular conducting elements 4|, as well as in spaced relationto the annular conducting member or plate 43 and its inner, annularmarginal portion 44.

The minute hand 23 is adapted to successively wipe over the bodyportions of the conducting strips 49 as said minute hand advances, aswill be very clear from Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The hour hand 2| has a radialconducting extension 52 secured thereto and including a shaped springmember 53 arranged in the annular pocket 21 and adapted to successivelywipe over the eyelets or tubular conducting elements 4| as said hourhand advances. The construction of the shaped spring member 53 desirablyis such that there is contact between said spring member and each eyeletor tubular conducting element engaged by the spring member for several,or a few,

' minutes of time.

A buzzer 54, or other signaling, notifying or reminding apparatus,y isconveniently situated within the frame of the clock adjacent thetransformer and the case I6. A lead wire 55 extends from one side of thesecondary 31 of said transformer to the buzzer or signaling apparatus54. A lead wire 56 extends from said buzzer or signaling apparatus to abinding post 51. The binding post 51 is as illustrated constituted as ascrew bolt extending through the forward member |1 of the frame of theclock and through the annular conducting member or plate 43 and enteringthe annular member 25. Said binding post or screw bolt 51 has conductingengagement with said annular conducting member or plate 43. The screwbolt 51 can assist in supporting the annuar conducting member or plate43 in position and additional screw bolts of the same general charactercan also pass through the members |1 and 43 and enter the member 25 andassist in supporting, or support, the annular conducting member orplate, as will be understood.

A lead wire 58 in electrical engagement at 59 with the continuous orcircular lead wire 48 extends from said continuous or circular lead wiretothe side of the secondary 31 of the transformer opposite the side towhich the lead wire 55 is connected. The annular conducting member orplate 43 is cut away at 60 to allow passage of the lead wire 58 and tobe clear of said lead wire.

Jacks or plugs of the device, adapted separately to provide conductingconnection between any selected one of the eyelets or tubular conductingelements 4| and the annular conducting member or plate 43, are each ofconstruction as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 8 to l1. AU-mernber of each jack or plug includes closely adjacent. parallel legs6| connected by a base 62. Each leg 6| is curvilinear in cross section,and the free end portions of said legs 6| diverge slightly. That is, thelegs 6| are in slightly divergent relation to each other at their freeend portions. Concave parts of the legs 6| face each other and said legslie in a single plane. The free ends of the legs 6| are at equaldistances from the base 62 and adjacent each other, and each of saidfree ends is of rounded conformation, as indicated at 63. The U-memberis in the instance of each jack or plug of resilient metal, or of otherresilient conducting material. A spreader member 64 for the legs 6| isseated between the concave portions of said legs against the base 62.Said spreader member is as disclosed of about one-half the length of theU- member. An insulating nger piece 65 of each of the duplicate jacks orplugs is tightly secured upon the portion of the U-member which housesthe spreader member.

The legs 6| of the U-member of each jack or plug employed are adapted tobe inserted, selectively, into and through the eyelets or tubularconducting elements 4|, into' and through the openings 45 in the inner,annular marginal portion 44 of the annular conducting member or plate43, and into the openings 46 in the frame member |1. The free endportions of the legs ti of each jack or plug are spread apart to suchextent that upon insertion of the rounded ends of said legs into` aneyelet or tubular conducting element and into a substantially aliningopeneach other against their natural resilient tendency to spread. Thusthere will be insurance of resilient, pressing engagement of theU-member of each jack or plug with the interior of each eyelet ortubular conducting element 4I. Each jack or plug is inserted into aselected eyelet or tubular conducting element until the insulating ngerpiece 65 of the jack or plug engages the enlarged part 42 of the eyeletor tubular conducting element, as in Fig. 4. The arrangement is suchthat as the free ends 63 of the legs of a jack or plug are passed beyondan eyelet or tubular conducting element and into a substantially aliningopening 45 in the inner, annular marginal portion 44 of the annularconducting member or plate 43, the diverging, free end portions of saidlegs commence to spread apart, because of release of said diverging,free end portions by said eyelet or tubular conducting element and thenatural resilience of the metal of the U-member. By reason of thespreading apart of the legs, resilient, pressing engagement of the jackor plug with the metal of the annular conducting member or plate 43 atthe openings 45 in the marginal portion 44 is insured, as will beunderstood. Off-setting the openings 45 a trie relatively to the eyeletsor tubular conducting elements additionally insures that there will beengagement between the legs and the annular conducting member or plate.

When a jack or plug is arranged in an eyelet or tubular conductingelement and in a substantially alining opening 45 in the manner asbefore set forth, the eyelet or tubular conducting element having saidjack or plug is obviously conductively connected to the annularconducting member or plate 43 through the instrumentality of the legs 6|of the jack or plug, which legs are in current carrying engagement withboth said eyelet or tubular conducting element and said annularconducting member or plate. See Fig. 4.

The manner in which the device or clock with attachment operates issimply explained. Supposing it to be intended that a notifying orreminding signal be produced at, say, nine oclock, for example, a jackor plug is inserted in the manner as stated into the eyelet or tubularconducting element directly adjacent 9 on the dial or clock face. Thebuzzer will, then, be caused to sound at nine oclock and at no othertime, because electrical connection through said buzzer is also throughboth the hour and the minute hands of the clock, as well as through theannular conducting member or plate 43 and, separately, through theconducting strips 49. The radial extension 52 will engage said eyelet ortubular conducting element directly adjacent 9 while the minute hand isalso in engagement with a conducting strip 49 when and only when saidminute hand is at, or fairly close to, l2 on the dial or clock face.Upon engagement of the radial extension 52 on the hour hand 2| with theeyelet or tubular conducting el-ement directly opposite 9 and having ajack or plug therein and also in contact with the annular conductingmember or plate 43 while the minute hand 23 is in engagement with theconducting strip 49 adjacent 12 on the dial or clock face, an operatingcircuit through the buzzer 54 will be made from the secondary 3l of thetransformer through the lead wire, 55 to said buzzer, thence from thebuz- Zer through the lead wire 59 and the binding post or screw bolt 51to the annular conducting member or plate 43, thence through the jack orplug in the eyelet or tubular conducting element directly adjacent 9 andthis same eyelet or tubular conducting element to the radial extension52, thence through the hour hand 2l and the minute hand 23 to theconducting strip 49 at l2, and thence through the tail or flange 50 ofsaid conducting strip at l2, the continuous or circular lead wire 49 andthe lead wire 58 back to the secondary of said transformer.

In the instance of a signal to be given at any selected time of theclock, the manner of operation is the same as described. For anyparticular setting of a jack or plug, ther-e is only one of theconducting strips 49 which will be engaged by the minute hand 23 Whilethe radial extension 52 upon the .hour hand 2l is in engagement with aneyelet or tubular conducting element having said jack or plug situatedtherein. In every instance, the signal is given by concurrent referenceto both. the hour and the minute hands of the clock so that th-eoccurrence of said signal is at an accurate, predetermined time.Obviously, a plurality of jacks or plugs can be simultaneouslypositioned in different openings oi the clock. The operation in the caseof each inserted jack or plug will be entirely independent of theoperation resulting from the insertion of al] other jacks or plugs. Thatis, insertion of a jack or plug at any opening in the clock. causesnotifying or reminding operation to occur independently of notifying orreminding Operation caused by insertion of jacks or plugs in all otheropenings in the clock.

Each conducting strip 49 has length so that it is engaged by the minutehand 23 for a few, or several, minutes, and the shaped spring member 53upon the radial conducting extension 52 is constructed to remain inengagement with each eyelet or tubular conducting element 4! for a few,or several, minutes, as before stated. It will be apparent that 4eachsignal will be made discernible at an accurate time, or minute, asintended even though the hour hand and the minute hand may not haveaccurate setting, within limits, relatively to each other. The springmember upon the radial extension 52 may rst engage an eyelet or tubularconducting element 4l with jack or plug set therein, and the minute handmay afterwards engage one vof the conducting strips 49 before engagementbetween the spring member and the eyelet or tubular conducting elementhas become broken when a signal is to be given, or the reverse may bethe case.

While the conducting strips 13 have some length, they are not so longthat the minute hand 23 can traverse any space between adjacentconducting strips 49 during the interval the hour hand is conductivelyconnected with any single eyelet or tubular conducting member 4I. Stateddifferently, the arrangement-.is such that the minute hand 23 can engageonly one of the conducting strips 49 while the hour hand has contactwith any one of the eyelets or tubular conducting elements 4I.

In Figs. 6 and 'l there is disclosed a construction in all respects likethat hereinbefore described, except that the conducting strips, denotedG6, equivalent to the conducting strips 45, are adjustablecircumferentially of the annular iiange 'l, equivalent to the annularflange 26. The adjustment is for the apparent purpose oi' accuratelycontrollably varying the time, or minute, at which the device isintended to produce a signal. Each conducting strip 55 includes aninternally threaded boss 68 slidable in an elongated slot 69 in theannular flange G1, and a set screw 'it is for ixing the correspondingconducting strip Se at any position to which adjusted along saidelongated slot. Each conducting strip 65 has slidable engagement with atail or flange 1I, equivalent to each tail or ange 59 and similarlyarranged in the annular insulating member 12, equivalent to the annularinsulating member 25.

Attention is called to the fact that each of the entities of the presentdevice which in any instance of use of the device can possibly functionor serve as a movable element of any electric switch of said deviceengages its companion stationary element with a wiping action.

What is claimed is:

1. A switch mechanism comprising a plurality of separate tubularconducting elements, a conducting member in spaced relation to saidtubular conducting elements, a conducting plug adapted to be set in anyselected one of said tubular conducting elements in engagement therewithand in engagement with said conducting member, a plurality of conductingstrips arranged in spaced relation to each other, a movable Switchelement adapted to successively wipe over said conducting strips, asecond movable switch element adapted to successively wipe over saidtubular vconducting elements, and said switch element when in engagementwith one of said conducting strips while said second switch element isin conducting engagement with one of said tubular conducting elementshaving a plug therein in conducting engagement with said conductingmember being adapted to close a circuit.

2. The combination as specified in claim i, and means for adjusting saidconducting strips relatively to said tubular conducting elements.

3. A switch mechanism comprising a plurality of separate tubularconducting elements, a conducting member in spaced relation to saidtubular conducting elements, a conducting plug adapted to be set in anyselected one oi said tubular conducting elements in engagement therewithand in engagement with said conducting member, a movable switch elementadapted to be successively brought into conducting engagement with saidtubular conducting elements, a plurality of conducting strips arrangedin spaced relation to each other, a second movable switch elementadapted to successively engage said conducting strips, and said secondswitch element when in conducting engagement with one of said conductingstrips while said switch element is in conducting engagement with atubular conducting element having a plug therein and which plug is inconducting engagement with said conducting member being adapted to closea circuit.

4. 'I'he combination as specified in claim 3, wherein said conductingmember includes spaced apart openings arranged in a circumference andsaid tubular conducting elements are arranged in an adjacent concentriccircumference, there being a tubular conducting element in aliningrelation to each of said openings.

5. The combination as specified in claim 3, and means for adjusting saidconducting strips relatively to said tubular conducting elements.

6. In a switch mechanism, a plurality of separate tubular conductingelements, a conducting member in spaced relation to said tubularconducting elements, a conducting plug adapted to be set in any selectedone of said tubular conducting elements in engagement therewith and inengagement with said conducting member, and

a movable switch element adapted to be successively brought intoconducting engagement with said tubular conducting elements.

7. In a switch mechanism, a plurality of separate tubular conductingelements, a conducting member in spaced relation to said tubularconducting elements, a conducting plug adapted to be set in any selectedone of said tubular conducting elements in engagement therewith, saidconducting plug being adapted to traverse the space between theconducting member and the tubular conducting element in which set and toengage said conducting member, and a movable switch element adapted tobe successively brought into wiping engagement with external sidesurfaces of said tubular conducting elements.

JOHN GORRIEN.

